Footlet



C. H. POOLE Feb. 3, 1970 FOOTLET Filed March 21, 1968 INVENTOR.

CLINARD H. POOLE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,492,674 FOOTLET ClinardH. Poole, Asheboro, N.C., assignor to Tip-Top Hosiery Mills, Inc.,Asheboro, N.'C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Mar. 21, 1968,Ser. No. 714,882 Int. Cl. A41b 11/00; A43b 1/02; A41d 27/12 US. Cl.2-239 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention isdirected to a sports footlet or sock normally worn by ladies with golfand tennis shoes, wherein a length of braid material overlaps the edgeforming the sock opening, providing an enthickened portion disposedabove the shoe top, said braid including rearward extensions which aretied together in a bow behind the ankle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has been found by athletes, andparticularly women golfers and tennis players, that a within-the-shoesock is preferable to athletic socks with longer leg portions, becausemore of the leg and foot are exposed to the sun for tanning. Moreover,footlets are cooler to wear since the ankle and a portion of the foot isexposed to the atmosphere. However these socks have been objectionablein the past because they tend to slip down inside the shoe and becomeuncomfortable.

Various attempts have been made to solve this problem, such as thefootlet shown in the Traenkle Patent No. 3,000,013, wherein tassles orother types of dangles are attached to the upper edge of the sock by anarrow supporting member to prevent slippage of the sock down into theshoe. The Thorneburg et al. Patent No. 3,274,804 discloses another typeof footlet which has a stretchable upper selvage edge and a heel supporttab that is adapted to roll down upon itself to prevent the rear portionof the footlet from sliding downwardly into the heel of the shoe.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a novel andeffective solution to the aforesaid problem of slippage wherein a lengthof braid overlaps and is sewed around the opening of the sock. The braidforms an enthickened edge which extends slightly above the shoe top andprevents slippage of the sock into the shoe. To aid in keeping thefootlet up, the braid is sewn along both sides of the ankle rearwardlyfrom the instep and terminates in rearwardly projecting tabs which maybe tied together in a bow behind the ankle to tighten or adjust thebraid to the foot.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide awithin-the-shoe footlet which includes an enthickened edge around theopening to prevent slippage of the sock downwardly into the shoe.

It is another object of the invention to provide a withinthe-shoefootlet of the type described wherein braid is sewed around the upperedge of the sock and includes a pair of rearwardly projecting tabs thatmay be tied behind the ankle to prevent slippage and provide adjustment.

It is still another and more specific object of the invention to providea. within-the-shoe footlet which includes an enthickened upper portioncovered with braid, said braid extending from the instep around bothsides of the ankle and terminating in a pair of ties which may be tiedin a bow behind the ankle to prevent slippage. Moreover, the sewing ofthe braid to the sock is preferably terminated slightly short of therear of the sock, so that the ties are 3,492,674 Patented Feb. 3, 1970not joined together and a slight adjustment space or pucker is lefttherebetween.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an environmental view showing the footlet protruding abovethe top of a shoe according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the sock looking at the rear and sidethereof, with the braid extensions untied;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 except the braid extensions aretied in a bow; and

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along theline ,44 in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, thereis shown the lower portion of a leg L having a footlet or sock 10according to the present invention and a shoe S thereon. The bow 30 isshown tied behind the ankle.

FIGURE 2 more clearly shows the sock 10 itself which comprises a footportion 12 having a toe 14 and a heel 16. These footlets as thus fardescribed may be knit in a conventional manner from any desired yarnincluding stretch yarns or blends of yarns.

The footlet 10 terminates in an ankle portion 18 defined by upper loops22 through which extends a relatively thick core yarn 20, preferablyelastic.

A strip of binding material, such as braid 24 is sewed in overlappinginverted U-shaped configuration around the ankle portion 18 extendingfrom the instep rearwardly around both sides of the ankle to pointsspaced from each other adjacent the rear of the stocking. The free endsof the braid 24 project rearwardly from the points where the sewing isterminated and define tabs 26 and 28 of sufficient length for tying bow30 as shown in FIG- URE 3.

The portion of the ankle portion 18 not covered by braid forms anadjustment means or a pucker 32 whereby the tabs 26 and 28 may be tiedto tighten the ankle portion about the foot of the wearer, as desired.Moreover, the braid may be stretchable to make the ankle portionadjustable to a size larger than the normal opening at the ankleportion, The braid 24 may be used with or without the core yarn 20, andthe braid may be the same color as the sock, or it may be provided witha a decorative pattern such as a red and white stripe, since it isintended to be visible above the top edge of the shoe S.

There is thus shown an improved footlet of improved utility, comfort,and appearance.

I claim:

1. A footlet adapted for use with a shoe, said footlet comprising toeand heel portions and terminating in an ankle portion, a strip ofbinding material overlapping the edge of said ankle portion, the bindingmaterial on the ankle portion of said footlet being slightly higher thanthe corresponding portion of the shoe with which it is worn, saidbinding material being sewn along both sides of the ankle portion fromthe instep toward the rear of the footlet, the sewing of said bindingmaterial being terminated short of said rear, leaving a section of saidankle portion unencumbered by said binding material, said bindingmaterial further projecting rearwardly beyond the footlet to define tabswhich are adapted to be tied in a knot at the ankle of the wearer foradjustment, a core yarn attached to and extending around the edge ofsaid ankle portion beneath said binding material to form an enthickenedupper edge, whereby said footlet is kept from sliding down within saidshoe.

3 2. The footlet according to claim 1 wherein said binding material isvariegated.

3. The footlet according to claim 1 wherein the core yarn is elastic.

4. The footlet according to claim 1 wherein the core Jolley 2-240 Walker2-174 Tibbitts 2--239 Daze 2239 yarn and the binding material areadjustable about the 5 JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner wearer.

' References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,602,101 10/1926 Conrow 369 XR10 U.S. C1. X.R.

